Good Counsel Makes Ladies’ Gaelic Football History

WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY: Casey O'Brien has started a Ladies' Gaelic football team in her High School. It has taken off in leaps and bounds.

COUNSEL COUNCIL: The girls of the Good Counsel H.S. LGFC team.

It was a proud day for New York Ladies’ GAA Chairman, Eugene Brophy, Gaelic4Girls Development Officer, Joe McGirl, and Gaelic4Girls Public Relations Officer, Noreen Casey-O’Brien, when they visited Good Counsel Academy High School in White Plains, New York.

The threesome were delighted to witness the tremendous accomplishment of senior student, Casey O’Brien, in promoting Irish sport here in America.

In September 2009, Casey founded the first ever High School Ladies Gaelic Football Club in New York. The idea surfaced last June when Casey, for the second time, wrote and presented her proposal to form a Gaelic Football Club to the school administration.

Good Counsel Dean of Students, Julie Kaen, informed Casey that a decision would be made over the summer months. September rolled around very quickly and it was during the first week of school that Casey received the good news that her proposal was accepted by Good Counsel High School.

Not realizing the magnitude of her efforts, Casey proceeded to enroll curious new members. Currently, there are forty young women enrolled in the club and they dedicate themselves to training every Thursday evening. Casey O’Brien takes pride in her Irish heritage, which transfers into her skills on the football pitch making her the perfect role model to initiate the “Games of the Gael” among her peers in school.

Casey captained the U-12 New York team in the first ever Continental Youth Championship (CYC) games that were held in Purchase, New York back in the summer of 2004. Casey said of her historic accomplishment, “There is a great feeling of pride to be able to offer Gaelic football in my high school. We have so much to share about our culture and our love of Gaelic football. I grew up in Kerry for six years before coming back to New York. Both my parents are Kerry – so, what more can I say …”

A huge advantage for Casey is that she has completed the Foundation and Level 1 coaching courses certified by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) whose headquarters are based in Dublin, Ireland. The specialized training assists Casey with her exercise schemes and drills in order to keep the girls on the team, fit and motivated. When asked what her goals are for the team, Casey said: “To have a Good Counsel team compete in the CYC, which is taking place in Eisenhower Park in Long Island, New York in the Summer of 2010.”

Casey also believes it possible that some of the Good Counsel girls may be part of the U-20 team - which Chairman Brophy spoke of - who will make the trip to Melbourne, Australia in 2012.

Good Counsel Principal Carol Petersen, Physical Education/Health teacher Ashling Whelan, and Athletic Director Maura Henderson Lynch were on hand to listen to the many ideas that were discussed after training was led by Eugene Brophy and Joe McGirl.

Eugene made a very generous donation of footballs to the club and announced that uprights for the football posts would be provided as well. Eugene also asked the members of the team to design a jersey for their newly formed club, which he will be sponsoring.

The New York Ladies GAA has pledged to help develop this new initiative in Good Counsel and to use it as a model to form more clubs in other high schools. Casey O’Brien has the backing from local coaches who have agreed to volunteer their time to the development of the new team.

Casey is well aware of the huge undertaking she has made, but is confident she will gain a network of support in order to help the club grow in numbers, as a high school team, such as this one, is unprecedented. Clearly, Casey’s achievements are an inspiration to her teammates, school, and community, in addition to her undying commitment to the promotion of Gaelic sport and Irish culture here in the United States.